“Equin did not incwude hawf of what he saw, fo’ if fwuffy did nobody wouwd bewiebe me.”
[A quote from Equin “The Adventurer” said shortly before his death]
[Pov Emily]
Turning the wagon towards the river, I took it off-road. It was very shortly later did I see a ship that clearly belonged to a trader. It was a long curved vassal, with about two decks I think. It’s wooden hull was painted with some sort of dark green paint, with the only different colors being the eyes at the front of the ship, the large shipping crates, and the two giant beige sails that had some sort of long snouted reptilian creature painted on them. It was unlike any ship I had ever seen, and by the reactions of everyone else I knew they thought the same. Slowly moving the wagon into the ship, Mukar speaks giving a warm smile.
“Nu wowwy about dah beast, Mukaw had a pwace downstaiws just fo’ it.”
As I stop the wagon at the middle of the ship the Raccoon was untethered and was slowly lead down a large staircase by Mukar. And just as he had gone down Dar speaks, taking off his helmet and looking at me.
“y’know Daw was thinking, aftah habin’ ouw heads swiced opened. Goin’ into dah ship of pewson we just met maybeh not be dah smawtest idea Emiwy…”
He had a point… I think of the best thing I could come up with and speak.
“Weww it’s dah best’ chance we got. Nu wowwy Emiwy wiww make suwe we stay bigiwant.”
When Mukar returned 5 minutes later he didn’t say anything, instead he headed towards the first sail and expanded it. We began moving almost instantly and as the ship began going down, Mukar expanded the second sail and the ship started moving even faster. Mukar speaks, his tone more neutral.
“It’ww most wikewy take us day to weach dah Hibe City, can join fwuffy on dah bwide if ‘ou wan’. Mukaw had some gumbo cooking!”
Gumbo? Mukar gives a smile with the last sentence, as he heads up to what I think is the bridge.
Aubrey begins to follow him and looks back to us, speaking.
“Awen’t 'ou coming?”
We all stood for a second, with Kri speaking from behind me.
“Sssure”
I saw Kri pass by me. following Aubrey. And looking at Dar, he pointed his head at the direction Aubrey and Kri were going. After a few seconds I nod in response, and follow the others inside.
After climbing up the three stairs that lead to the long rectangular room near the stern, I entered and was greeted by the strangest of sights. For the stuff I expected it was still there, the helm, the navigation map, and multiple navigation tools. But what I didn’t expect, was just how many strange things their were. There were candles on almost every surface, several golden charms with strange symbols, giant letters that spelled out words that I mostly couldn’t understand “El Pony Marino” And finally at the very back of the room was the strangest thing of them all, a very strange stone statue. It stood on it’s hind legs, with a deep red cloth covering it’s body, and it’s body, well… Most of it looked as though it belonged to a Zebra Fluff, but it’s head was a raccoons. It was the strangest thing I had ever seen, getting closer to it, I got better details. The statue held in it’s palm a merchants scale, and below sat a bowl with what looked like offerings. I didn’t get much time to examine it though as Aubrey speaks, sounding exited.
“Emiwy come hewe, 'ou hab to twy dis!”
Thinking of how rude it was of me to just go wandering off, I started walking towards the others, where I see everyone sat beside a large cauldron full of a strange stew.
As I sit down Mukar grabs a bowl and fills it with stew, giving it to me as I speak.
“Fank 'ou.”
“Nu mention it.”
Looking at the stew. I saw a mixture of very… Unique ingredients. I saw the meats of strange marine creatures, the strangest being a a creature with a long red arm with a claw at the end. And I also saw this sort of white stuff, with greens on top of it. Aubrey looks at me and speaks, her holding a spoon full of the stew.
“'Ou nu can bewiebe how gud dis tastes!”
Grabbing a spoon I fill it with the stew and bring it close to my mouth, making it even more stranger as I got a better look at it. Than taking a deep breath I open my mouth and sip the stew.
Well that wasn’t what I expected… It tasted unlike anything I had ever tasted before, but to be honest that wasn’t a bad thing. As I savored the flavor Dar speaks, looking at Mukar.
“Hey Mukaw Daw was wondewing, what am that text?”
Dar points to the strange text I had noticed when entering, and Mukar looks at it for a few moments before looking back at Dar and speaking.
“Oh that? That am dah name of dis bessew, a wanguage spoken by some of my peopwe. It twanswates to “The Sea Pony””
Dar nods and I think to myself “How did we never hear about these people?” Like they had trading connections to Chicago and everything and we didn’t know anything! Than I remembered back to our meeting with Chicago’s leaders. How it seemed the Grandmaster didn’t know much of anything about Nickel city, just maybe we didn’t know things that the nations of the west knew. Seeing a chance to inquire I decide to ask about the statue, only a few seconds after Mukar finishes speaking, I speak.
“Mukaw Emiwy was wondewing, when I had entewed Emiwy saw dis wathah unique statue. What was-”
Mukar interrupted me, speaking in a slightly serious voice.
“That am not a statue Emiwy, that am an icon… Dah icon of dah God Tupou, thiwd son of Ewabaw. He bwings pwospewity an’ pwotection to dah gud mewchants of Abbewtu, an’ theiw tweasuwes”
Hearing this their was a moment of silence and I thought that I maybe shouldn’t have brought up the statue, Mukar speaks again.
“That icon an’ dis ship hab been in my famiwy fo’ many genewations, it’s somethin’ bewy impowtant to me.”
I nod and Kri speaks, with a slightly awkward tone.
“I’m Sssuprised how well taken care of this Ssship is, for how long it must have been in you’re family!”
Mukar gives a light smile and get’s up, walking towards the door to the deck and speaking.
“We’ww be awwibin’ at dah bowdah fowt soon, just nee’ quick chat wiff dah tawon guawdsmen.”
And Mukar was right, around 10 minutes after going to the deck to wait we had arrived at Fort Wildcat, with the ship docked. Waiting inside I didn’t get a good look at the fort, but what I was able to see was 4 large stone towers all in a rectangular shape. Dar speaks, as he tries to get a better look at the fort.
“That pwace must be massibe!”
I saw as two Talon guardsmen entered, one of them speaking loud enough for us to hear.
“So heading back Mukar?”
Mukar speaks.
"Aww dah business Mukaw needed to do in Chicago am finished, yes.
Surprisingly the Talon soldier who spoke went up to Mukar and gave him a pat on the shoulder and spoke again.
“Well than I guess this is goodbye for awhile, with the trouble out east we been hearing about, it’s unsafe for traders to keep coming here.”
Mukar speaks, giving final word.
“Mukaw had heawd aww about it… Fwuffy wish ‘ou dah bestes’ fo’ ‘ou an’ am famiwies.”
The Talon guardsmen begin to leave, but just as they were about to get off the talkative one speaks one last time, to end things on a more positive note.
“When you do finally come back here Mukar, you better bring some of that Abbertuian rum! I tell you Mukar, it’s like magic.”
Mukar gives a chuckle and speaks.
“Mukaw wiww!”
With that they were gone and the ship left dock, passing out of Chicago and into the United Hives. When Mukar returned from setting up the ship again, he spoke to us only once.
“It’s time to west, we awwibe in Hibe City in dah mownin’.” Fin
Thank you for reading my story! Hive City has always been a place I Couldn’t wait to start writing about, and now that were finally here, I have some very special moments planned. Constructive criticism is always appreciated, and may you have a good day!